Opinion: Clock is ticking for Democrats to fund a barrier at the border

by Boris Epshteyn, Chief Political Analyst

(Sinclair Broadcast Group)

The longest government shutdown in our country’s history is over.

Last Friday, President Trump signed a bill into law to fund the government through February 15. Federal government employees have returned to work as negotiations on long-term funding and border security continue.

The bill did not include the $5.7 billion that the president had requested, or any funds for that matter, for a barrier or wall at the border.

Republicans and Democrats in the Senate and the House of Representatives have agreed to come together to try and hammer out a border security spending measure.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees, as well as government contractors, across the country were suffering due to this shutdown. It is important that they can now get back to work and receive pay, including back pay.

President Trump is yet again putting the interests of the American people first - compromising with Democrats who asked for the government to be opened in order to negotiate on border security.

The president is taking a big political risk here by yet again coming to the negotiating table on the barrier for the southern border.

However, if the president can come through and make tangible progress on border security it will pay major dividends come 2020.

Here’s the bottom line: Democrats in Congress have played politics with our national security and have used our federal employees as political hostages for far too long.

The clock is ticking. Hopefully, Democrats prove to be honest and come up with funds for a barrier at the southern border to keep our country safe.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Boris Epshteyn formerly served as a Senior Advisor to the Trump Campaign and served in the White House as Special Assistant to The President and Assistant Communications Director for Surrogate Operations.